“Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.” – Wade Boggs
A FATHER-DAUGHTER MOMENT
I’m listening to some old John Denver songs,
sweet “oldies” as we kids would call them,
they sound so comforting, taking me back.
To the big sky above the winding river
and a train track below my favorite mountaintop
where I often sat alone with a notepad
watching the world turning round and round.
It was my secret spot, just a short walk
from the cabin you and mom built.
The cabin of family wonderland, memories,
moments of sunshine and midnight rain.
I felt so free, dancing without worry
and then drying off by the fireplace.
You always cut enough of wood
to feed its hungry throat, so I could stay warm.
I recall your hand-carved canes.
You didn’t need them, you weren’t old
but you loved the look of an old soul
exploring the woods while I tagged along.
You taught me about the rich wildlife,
berries, and the whispers of trees.
You taught me how to carve a boat from fallen bark,
you showed me roads that lead nowhere
and pathways that lead to wide horizons.
You taught me to keep my eyes open
but always feel with my heart.
Many years have passed since your last words.
Many roads have been traveled since our last journey.
But today I let you sit with me at my secret spot
where no one was allowed to visit, for the view
was too sacred and I wasn’t ready to share.
But today, you will understand.
Today I will feel your warmth for the soul is infinite.
I will feel love in every leaf and grain of sand.
So, come sit with me and enjoy the moment;
a father-daughter communion in wilderness.
Dangling our feet of my favorite cliff,
watching the river below, laughing, reminiscing,
and quietly wondering what if.
What if you were still here.
By Sharka Waite
After the Sunset Poetry 